A local court today sentenced a 26-year-old labourer from Navi Mumbai to three years' rigorous imprisonment for harassing his wife and subjecting her to cruelty.
Thane Additional Sessions Judge V K Shewale awarded the sentence to Devidas Deoram Suryavanshi of Digha in Navi Mumbai.
The police had booked him for the murder of his wife as she had alleged in her dying statement that he had set her on fire. However, the court acquitted him on charges of murder due to lack of evidence, but held him guilty under section 498 A (harassment) of IPC, a dowry-related offence.
The accused had got married to the victim Salubai Devidas Suryavanshi (22) around four years back. He had a habit of drinking and used to beat her over petty issues.
On March 8, 2012 he returned home around 10 PM in an inebriated condition. After an argument with his wife he poured kerosene over her and set her ablaze. She later died during treatment at a hospital, Assistant Public Prosecutor S H Kapre-Goswami told the court.
The prosecution examined ten witnesses, including the doctor who treated the victim. Based on the evidence before the court the court held that it was a case of harassment and convicted him.
The court said the accused subjected his wife to cruelty by wilful conduct and harassed her mentally and physically with a view to coerce her.
